Itinerary Details
MT Sobek: Canadian Rockies Hiking & Camping
Day 1 Make Your Way to Legendary Banff
Arrive at your own pace in the vibrant mountain town of Banff, just a scenic 2-hour drive from Calgary. Your comfortable accommodation is reserved for the night, and the rest of the day is yours to explore. Stroll local trails, unwind in the hot springs, browse shops and museums, or enjoy Banff's lively dining scene. No meals or activities are scheduled today. Your guides will meet the group tomorrow morning to kick off the adventure!
Accommodation: Banff Caribou Lodge
Day 2 Travel to Enchanting Lake Louise & Hike to Lake Annette
1-hour private van transfer
7 miles/3-4 hours hiking with 1,300' elevation gain and loss
This morning, meet your guides at the hotel restaurant for breakfast and a brief orientation before heading out on a drive along one of the world's most scenic mountain roads to the heart of Canada's hiking capital! Get your bearings at your Lake Louise camp for the next four nights, prepare lunch, then hit the trail. Trek to glistening Lake Annette, where you'll pass in the shadow of some of the Canadian Rockies' mountain giants. Enjoy the views of the third-highest peak in Banff National Park while getting to know your fellow travelers. Upon returning to the campground, your guides will prepare some delicious post-hike snacks while you get yourself set up in your tent.
Accommodation: Lake Louise Campground
(B, L, D)
Day 3 Hike Jasper National Park & Witness Athabasca Glacier
3-hour private van transfer
5 miles/2-3 hours hiking with 1,000'-1,200' elevation gain and loss
Explore trails in captivating Jasper National Park today, stopping first to view the lovely Peyto Lake from a platform hanging on a cliff high above. Depending upon the time of year, the hue of the lake runs from dark blue to opaque turquoise to gorgeous jade green. The road then takes you onto the vast Columbia Icefield, the geo-hydrographic center of North America. Meltwaters from the Icefield and its glacial tongues feed three different oceans! You'll have the chance to walk right up to the toe of the sweeping Athabasca Glacier. Then, continue hiking up to either Parker Ridge for a spectacular view of the Saskatchewan Glacier from above or, for a true wilderness experience, a hike up to Wilcox Pass. Keep an eye out for local wildlife, including marmots, elk, foxes, and pine martens. Returning to camp, you'll enjoy dinner around the campfire.
Accommodation: Lake Louise Campground
(B, L, D)
Day 4 Climb to Agnes Tea House & Raft Kicking Horse River
1.5-hour private van transfer
7 miles/3-4 hours hiking with 1,300' elevation gain and loss; 3 hours rafting
Spend the morning hiking to the charming Lake Agnes Tea House. The trail winds through a towering old-growth spruce forest, popping out of the trees to open views of glacier-fed Lake Louise. Arriving at the tea house, you have the option to refuel with over 100 varieties of loose-leaf tea and freshly baked treats or just take in the stunning views. In the afternoon, travel by road through Yoho National Park into British Columbia for rock-and-roll rafting on the Kicking Horse River. This exhilarating trip allows you to raft the best section of the class III-IV whitewater rapids. Return to camp for dinner.
(B, L, D)
Day 5 Visit Brilliant Moraine Lake & Hike Larch Valley
1-hour private van transfer
7-11 miles/4-6 hours hiking with 1,300'-1,800' elevation gain and loss
Today, you'll travel to turquoise Moraine Lake and marvel at the Valley of Ten Peaks (each peak over 10,000') across the water—an iconic view that you will get to experience in person. From here, hike through the lush Larch Valley, its meadowlands filled with dense stands of alpine larch and panoramic views over the marvelous Valley of the Ten Peaks. Continue to lovely Eiffel Lake, surrounded by towering Rocky Mountains. Time and weather permitting, you may hike the Helen Lake trail, famous for its summer wildflowers. Tonight, your final evening, enjoy a celebratory dinner at a local restaurant in Lake Louise.
(B, L, D)
Day 6 Trek to the Foot of Stanley Glacier & Depart
1-hour private van transfer
5 miles/2-3 hours hiking with 1,200' elevation gain and loss
After breaking camp and waving goodbye to your campground, head south into Kootenay National Park for a hike to Stanley Glacier. Considered one of the park's most spectacular trails, your hike to the base of Stanley Glacier rewards you with a diverse range of terrain. With an endless supply of geological treasures such as hanging valleys, ice caves, sheer cliffs, and towering peaks, these final miles together are the perfect culmination of an amazing exploration of the Canadian Rockies. Your trip concludes in Banff with a drop-off at the hotel from night one.
(B, L)
